Well, we lost. But there are still many issues affecting Aves residents, and we will use this blog to express them. Check in regularly.

Tuesday, July 30, 2013

Suggestions for UTA

A few of us from the Greater Avenues Community Council have informally discussed changes that would improve UTA service to the Avenues. These suggestions are the result of responses from the community through an email poll.

Suggested UTA Changes

1. Reroute the 3rd Ave and 6th Ave buses back downtown (2nd South), then loop them to the Guadalupe Station (Viaduct). This restores downtown service to the Aves.

2. The weekday 11th Ave bus must cross 11th Ave well before 8:00am, since the current morning bus does commuters no good (they can't get to work on time).

3. Expand night service and weekend service to the Aves. Restore the Saturday 11th Ave bus and possibly provide shuttle service at night to the Aves (similar to the Southwest Valley).

a. If restoring 11 bus service on the weekends is not possible, combine parts of the 11 bus route into the weekend 6 bus route. Since the 6 runs only once per hour on Saturday (and should on Sunday as well), it should be possible for the 6 to go up to at least 11th Ave. and possibly to 13th Ave., while still making important stops at LDS Hospital and the Avenues Smiths (6th Ave & E St.).

b. This combined route could be employed late on weekday evenings as well, since the last 11 bus leaves downtown (185 S. State) at 6:41 PM and the 6 bus begins a once-per-hour schedule at 6:40 PM (from N. Temple Front Runner to the Avenues). The last bus should be at least one hour later than the current last 6 bus to the U of U Medical Center (8:40 PM).

c. The last bus leaving downtown on Saturday evenings ( #6 at 7:47 PM) is also too early.

4. Examine options for improved spacing of the times for the 11 and 6 buses to and from downtown to determine if this would be more efficient. (Frequently the 6 and 11 are nose to tail en route.)

If you have any other suggestions or comments, please send them to: avesbuses13@gmail.com or respond here on this blog.